Category Archives: Beauty

Finding facial products that work to make your skin look and feel good can be difficult and to be honest I am so lazy when it comes to skincare it is hard for me to like anything that is not a face wipe. I recently tried Taylor Owen natural cleanser and anti-aging cream. The natural cleanser left my face feeling silky smooth, which kinda made it worth the effort to actually get off the couch and wash my face in the sink. It did not make my face feel oily or feeling heavy with soap residue like many cleansers do. The products are free from harsh chemicals, like salicylic acid which is commonly used in facial cleanser, which is great for all you ladies with sensitive skin. The anti-aging cream was also light but effective. The cream made my skin feel smooth and firm…not firm enough to skip Botox, but worth a try. It also tones and keeps face hydrated. Anyhow that is my take on this product gifted to me by a friend at a PR firm who knows I am too lazy to wash my face and thought this might persuade me…and I think she maybe did.

I fell in love last week…with a lipstick. I adopted her and brought her home only to turn bright red when my gay boyfriend mistook the lipstick for a vibrator. I was completely embarrassed and quickly rushed to my desk to prove to him that it was a modern take on an old beauty classic…lipstick my friends…lipstick. So, deceptive packaging aside i love this lipstick because the pigment and colors are on-point, it seems to stay put, the applicator is great and reduces waste. You can purchase your own lipstick disguised as a sex toy at Sephora for $35.

A few months ago I confessed to you that I have a nasty little habit of going to sleep with a full face of make up. Trying to break the habit in a way that accepts my laziness, I bought about every facial cleaning wipe known to man and I concluded that Neutrogena Pink Grapefruit Wipes were my fave. Well since then, I have been unable to located those little minxes and so I had to search again. I am so glad this happened because I have a new fave: Yes Blueberry Facial Towelettes. You get a pack of 30 for $7.99…that is $8 for a month of a clean face. Since I have been using these wipes, I have seen a reduction in breakouts and my skin feels softer. What I love even more is that I don’t have to feel guilty about being lazy and going the wipe route, because they are biodegradable and they are 99% natural (free of parabens, SLS and petroleum). The blueberry line is apparently for Mature skin and although I wouldn’t classify my thirties something skin as mature, I can’t deny how fab my skin has looked since I found these little suckers.

When I have events, I usually call the pros in to do my hair. The benefit of this is that I get to learn all of their little secrets. For the last few years there is one product that stylists have been using on me from Miami to New York, Unite’s Expanda Dust. This stuff really adds volume to my super flat, straight hair and it helps hold backcombing. I got my own about six months ago and have been able to create hair on my own that looks pretty fab. When in Miami, I get my fix at my local Blo and in New York I head over to Salon Champu in the East Village. When you want to create volume, lift your hair, sprinkle a little underneath the piece you have just lifted, at the roots and back comb a bit. It is about $27 for a bottle, and I have had mine for about 6 months and still have a ton of this magic little fairy dust left! You can use this to create updos or with curlers or even a crimper to create volume. Yes! A crimper…check out my how-to on using a crimper on Latest Hairstlyes.com

2. Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs- This makes my list every year because I am on wrinkle watch and stay away from the sun so my legs are pasty white, plus I have scars on my legs. My only wish…that Sally Hansen would make it in travel sized.

3. Conair Bun Maker- With the heat this summer, this little gem has saved my from crying “early menopause.” Plus, it fixes a bad hair day stat. Check out my how-to video for the secret to a perfect bun with this little gizmo that is under $5.

4. Jessica GELeration polish in 388 Sensual- I have officially broken up with Shellac for Jessica’s GELeration polishes. They last the same two weeks, no chips like Shellac, but they have matching regular polish so you can match your Gel Mani to your regular pedi…Genius! Oh and supposedly, the polish is made of all natural ingredients so it is more green.

5. MAC Viva Glam Nicki by Nicki Minaj lipsitck- I know this has been out for a while, but I jumped on the bandwagon despite my distaste for the singer herself. The thing I love about the lipstick is that the color looks so fab for summer and doesn’t melt off like everything else I own. It is a really strongly pigmented color and it lasts. Plus, it is under $15 and a portion of the proceeds go towards women, men and children living with HIV and AIDS.

Every once in a while, a Thursday happy hour somehow morphs into a bar-hopping-til-last-call sort of situation. While dragging ourselves out of bed on Friday morning can feel like the hardest endeavor ever, sometimes we just can’t afford to take a sick day. At times when we’re not able to squeeze in our proper 8 hours, we have to find a way to fake it at the office. Throw on an extra large pot of coffee and try these techniques to look fresh and rested, even if you’re a complete zombie inside.

Take a Cool Shower

Cold showers are certainly not relaxing, but they do have a great stimulating effect. Cooler temperatures encourage circulation in the skin and tighten up areas that are sagging with fatigue. Cold water is also great for temporary mental alertness. To amplify the effect, try a tea tree oil or peppermint infused shampoo (Paul Mitchell makes a great one…click here to check it out.

The Freezer Spoon Technique

This one takes a little foresight. When you stumble through your front door at 1:30 a.m. and you know you have to be up at 7, head over to your silverware drawer, take out two spoons and put them in your freezer. The next morning when you wake up, take the spoons out and cup them over your closed eyes until the spoons are no longer cool. This will help de-puff your eyes by constricting the blood vessels around them, as well as bring a little circulation and color to your skin. Then wash your face, do your makeup and head out.

The Corner Eyeshadow Technique

Grab a light-colored frosted eyeshadow. Using a small fluffy brush or your ring finger, pat it into the inside corner of your eyes, right around the tear duct. Be sure the shadow is well blended. This creates the illusion of wide, open eyes, and draws attention away from dark under eye circles. Darker or olive skin tones should choose a peachy shade, while pale girls can get away with a silver or starker white. Whatever you do, do NOT use a glittery eyeshadow. Glitter particles can lodge in your eye and cause serious irritation and redness, augmenting tired eyes.

Curl Your Eyelashes

Another tried-and-true tactic to open up tired eyes is to bust out the old eyelash curler. For added staying power, hold a lighter up to the metal part of the curler for a few seconds. The heat will lock in the curl for longer, but be sure to test the hot curler with your finger before holding it up to your sensitive eyelid skin. Top with a few coats of waterproof mascara, which contains more wax than normal mascara and will hold your curl even longer.

The Covert Power Nap

We’ve all done it. Come lunch hour, close your office door, turn out your light, curl up under your desk and catch as many Z’s as you can muster. Don’t forget to set your cell phone alarm or you may find yourself awoken by the night maintenance guy…or your boss…eek!